Where to stay in Mazatlán

Mazatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipio, known as the Mazatlán Municipality.

Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word for "place of deer". The area was colonized by the Spanish in 1531. During the mid-19th century, a large group of immigrants arrived from Germany. Over time, Mazatlán developed into a commercial seaport, importing equipment for the nearby gold and silver mines, and it served as the capital of Sinaloa from 1859 to 1873. The German settlers influenced the local music, banda, with some genres being an alteration of Bavarian folk music. The settlers established the Pacifico Brewery in 1900. In the latter half of the 20th century, Mazatlán became a tourist destination.

Mazatlán is well known for offering the best value of any of Mexico's major resorts. Affordably priced lodging and food can be found easily. Outside of January and February (when the city can be a little cold), it is one of the most attractive seaside destinations in Mexico.

Getting around

In-town transportation is mainly motorized, except for the Centro Histórico, which is a very nice walking district. Besides normal taxis, the tourist areas (Zona Dorada and Centro Historico) always have many small white open-topped taxis called pulmonías that look like bumper cars, many of them old Volkswagens. These are unique to Mazatlan. Although you'll never have to wait long for one (they're always whizzing back and forth) ask the price before you get in and then bargain. The correct price will usually be about 30% less than the original quote. Don't overdo the haggling, though.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.